Lycanthropes
Lycanthropes are human beings afflicted by a supernatural virus. This allows them to take on the power and appearance of a specific species of animal.they can't control themselves during the change. Attributes Shape change Lycanthropes have at least two forms - human and animal. Many can assume a "hybrid" form that is bipedal with animal characteristics. While some can transform a part of their body at will (for example, "growing" fingers into claws). Changing between forms requires a great deal of energy. Most lycanthropes must feed immediately after changing to animal form. Then after returning to human form, collapse into a comatose state for several hours . Stronger lycanthropes do not need to feed immediately or collapse, but are exausted. Most of the lycanthropes Anita encounters can generally change shape almost at will. Lycanthropes who spend too much time in animal form may not be able to shift back completely. As a result, some of the lycanthropes Anita meets have fangs, voices, or eyes resembling their animal form even when in human shape. Other shapeshifters may have different forms available, and may experience different effects. For example, Kaspar is able to shift back and forth to his swan form without losing consciousness. But it is not clear if he has an intermediate "swanman" form. Contagion Lycanthropes' bodily fluids are contagious when they are in an animal or hybrid state. A bad batch of lycanthrope vaccine can infect a person, like Richard was. All the lycanthropes introduced in the series were infected with lycanthropy before meeting Anita. Till date no established human characters (save perhaps Anita herself) have contracted lycanthropy. Thus there has been no depiction of the stages through which someone moves from human society to a lycanthrope hierarchy. Powers & Abilities Lycanthropes have many supernatural powers, which are on par with those of vampires. * All lycanthropes are extremely fast, strong, and resistant to damage. Lycanthropes' strength appears to depend somewhat on their actual size and somewhat on their level of supernatural power, though it is significantly stronger than that of a human in any case. * Lycanthropes can recover from almost any wound other than that caused by silver weapons or fire. In Narcisus in Chains Lilian comments that "We can regrow any body part short of decapitation..." for example, in Circus of the Damned, Rashida is able to regenerate an entire arm, and Richard Zeeman is able to recover from having his throat literally torn out. Although in the later books even fresh fire wounds can be healed by cutting away the burned parts. Further, wounds received prior to becoming a lycanthrope can also be healed; for example, the wereleopard, Cherry, was infected with the leopard strain of lycanthropy following an automobile accident in which she lost a leg and on the next full moon her leg regenerated when she shapeshifted for the first time (after the stump was cut off). * Lycanthropes have extremely acute senses, even in human form. For example, in The Lunatic Cafe Richard claims to be able to "smell" emotions or lies. Narcissus in Chains mentions that sometimes being anxious changes the smell of a person and perhaps that is what the lycanthropes smell. The same book has Nathaniel remarking he can hear a person's heart beat or the blood moving in the body, even in human form. * Lycanthropes are effectively allergic to silver and feel physical pain from even skin contact, although some seem to enjoy the pain of silver jewelry. It has also been revealed in "Narcissus in Chains" that some lycanthropes can resist or reverse the effects of the allergy, while less powerful lycanthropes suffer further. Such as Gregory when he was imprisoned in the Thronos Rokke clan's oubliette with silver chains and silver tipped earplugs that had burned his skin off, like he had struggled and fried his eardrums. * Superhuman Speed: All lycanthropes are extremely fast and can run faster than the human eye can see. They can equal or even outrun vampires in their speed, depending on their age. Like vampires, they grow more powerful with age. * Superhuman Strength: Lycanthropes' strength seems to depend on their actual size and their level of supernatural power. Their strength is on par with vampires and they are fully able to fight off and even overpower them. Their strength is lesser in their human form, though they are still far stronger than humans. * Accelerated Healing: Lycanthropes can recover from almost any wound other than those caused by silver weapons. They can even regrow lost limbs and critical body parts. Rashida was able to regenerate his entire arm. While Richard Zeeman is able to recover after having his throat torn out. * Heightened Senses: Lycanthropes have acute senses, even in human form. Richard could "smell" emotions or lies. Nathaniel could hear a person's heart beat or the blood moving in the body, even in human form. Transformation Body temperature spikes before the transformation occurs. For non-alphas, the change is generally slow, painful, and graphic. Bones visibly change shape as the new form splits the skin and emerges from inside. A large quantity of clear, hot, sticky fluid is produced, and any clothing on the body is generally damaged or destroyed in the transformation. The body of the transformed animal is generally dry and clean afterwards, but the violence of the change can throw the transformation fluid and viscera left from the old form all around the lycanthrope. Transformation to animal form brings on hunger for flesh (of any kind). Non-alpha lycanthropes, remain in animal or hybrid form (if they have one) for 6–8 hours, after which they transform back to human form and fall into a sleep coma (from which they cannot be wakened) for 6–8 hours. Weres appear to have a relatively constant cycle; some, if not all weres who are beyond their first 6 moons or so may choose to shift back to human form early, but if they do so, the remaining time they would have spent in animal form must be "slept off". Alphas vary in their ability to resist this cycle - some can shift back to human form without having to rest at all, while others may require only a few hours of coma time. Weres CAN be forced (or may choose) to maintain their animal form longer than the time required by their metaphysical potential. The more powerful they are, the longer they can maintain this form without ill effects. However, once they reach a certain point, they begin to lose the ability to return fully to human form. This loss generally begins with the forced retention of animal features (such as eyes or fur) but eventually ends with loss of their sense of self and human intelligence, or ends in insanity. The first six months of forced transformation during the full moon is particularly traumatic. Most lycanthropes have no recollection and lose all sense of humanity during their first change, and only gradually over their first year start to retain their memory and regain control over their actions during the full moon. There does not appear to be any significant loss of memory or control during voluntary changes, although changes brought on by stress seem to lead to episodes of lost control as well. Becoming a Were A victim must be bitten or clawed by another were animal to become a were. The victim always becomes the same type of were animal that damaged them, although there are extremely rare cases where a victim may be able to take on more than one animal form. Not all lycanthrope wounds end in the victim contracting the "curse". Cat- and snake-based lycanthropy are more difficult to contract generally than other forms, but it is unclear how much more difficult or whether the type, amount or depth of wounds makes any difference. The first sign of having contracted lycanthropy is unusually fast healing, often even of wounds that should have resulted in death for the victim. Other signs may or may not include sharpened senses and increased speed and strength. At the next full moon, a lycanthrope shift forcibly to either their animal form, or possibly to their animal hybrid form if they are sufficiently powerful. The "power" of a shapeshifter is a matter of metaphysical potential. Although not stated directly in the series, there appears to be a strong correlation between force of personality, will power, and the metaphysical potential that brings more than just the ability to change shape. There are also notable exceptions, although, to be considered an "alpha" one must have both metaphysical potential AND the drive to gain dominance (pecking order) over others in the group. The (metaphysically) weakest lycanthropes have no hybrid form, while the strongest can have a variety of metaphysical gifts (see Alpha Weres, above) After lycanthropes shifts for the first time, they begin to come into their full potential, gaining significant strength and speed. The ability to assume a hybrid form is related to metaphysical potential, as is healing ability, which varies from nearly as slow as a human (for the weakest) to being able to visibly heal wounds in minutes from silver weapons (for alphas with the right gifts). Eventually, a lycanthrope gains the ability to shift into animal or (if they have it) hybrid form at will. Alpha Weres Some shapeshifters reach "alpha" or "master" status, a power level like that of a master vampire. Alpha shapeshifters may display some of the following traits: * Resist Transforming * Partially Shapeshifting. The ability of shapeshifting hands into claws, or even "cosmetic" shapeshifting - shifting bones or flesh simply to alter appearance. * Force Transformation. The ability to force other shapeshifters to change form, or to prevent them from doing so. * Share Power. Some shapeshifters, such as Richard can share their power with others by allowing them to feed on the shapeshifter's blood. * Heal Others. The power to heal others, by a variety of means. (For example, Raina was able to heal through physical contact, usually ending in sex, but the healing happened before intercourse). Weaknesses ** Silver: Lycanthropes are effectively allergic to silver and feel physical pain from even skin contact. Although some seem to enjoy silver jewelry.